Story of how inspirational girl Louise Hollamby took up squash at Biddenden Squash Club and was named 2021 Rising Star by England Squash

An inspirational girl with a life-limiting brain condition has been recognised by squash’s national governing body.

Louise Hollamby, 12, who has a condition called pachygyria, has defied the odds to become involved in sessions at Biddenden Squash Club, based near Ashford.

Having been involved for more than three years with the club, she was recently given the 2021 Rising Star Award by England Squash.

Mum Nicola was naturally delighted to see Louise win.

She said: “It’s brilliant, it’s fantastic. We were just really amazed!

“She has got so many problems - her hand-eye coordination is not good at all and her communication is not brilliant.

“We had been going up to the squash club because my son plays football up on the football field. One day, she said ‘I want to do that’. I said ‘What, squash?’

“I said to the coaches that I didn’t know if she could do it but they said they had an open day she could come along to. She went to the open day and wanted to get involved straight away. I said she needed to be at the very, very beginning.

“But she has gone from not being able to stop or hit the ball to actually rallying with people!

"It’s fantastic how the club has accommodated her.”

Pachygyria is a condition which affects all aspects of Louise’s body.

She has no spatial awareness and no danger awareness while her hand-eye coordination is put to the test everyday. Some days, she uses her hands to eat as she can’t find her mouth with a fork. Since the Covid pandemic, her anxiety levels have gone through the roof too.

But on the squash court, it’s a totally different story.

“We were just absolutely amazed, I was just so pleased,” said Nicola on her reaction to finding out Louise had won the England Squash award.

“It just goes to